


Sweet Dreams are Made of This

by Azeran



Series: Camp Camp [1]
Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Cults, Daniel is crazy, Daniel-centric, Gen, Obsessive Behavior, cult leader
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:49:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24209986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azeran/pseuds/Azeran
Summary: Daniel contemplates revenge for his failed schemes. And then, something changes. Xemug gives him the gift of potential companionship.
Relationships: Daniel/Gwen (Camp Camp)
Series: Camp Camp [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1395955
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17





	Sweet Dreams are Made of This

**Author's Note:**

> You could consider this a prequel to any one of my Daniel/Gwen stories. Or, it could be a stand alone thing! Whichever floats your boat, dear readers. I left it vague enough for you guys to fill in the blanks. I just hope you enjoy the story!
> 
> Thanks to Danypooh and Mordelle for taking the time to beta-read this madness! 🖤

The camp was quiet, a ghostly stillness cloaking the grounds. Not a single thing appeared to move in the dull gloom, save the remnants of fog clinging stubbornly to the damp soil and grass, or the shadows that loomed in the safety of the towering trees, racing to escape the light when a rare moonbeam managed to break through the thick layer of steel colored clouds overcasting the sky. 

But these were figments of nature. The mist and darkness embodied the forest as much as the drizzling rain and rustling leaves. They were normal. They were unassuming. 

They were safe. 

And then… there were the eyes. They hovered in the corner of the counselor’s cabin, completely unblinking, more at home in a statue than a human being. Their unearthly blue color was practically bioluminescent in the darkness, cold as the deepest layers of arctic ice. Glinting malevolently, those pale eyes stared at the two people resting inside the cabin, gazing out at them from beneath a thick layer of ashy lashes. 

What a shame. Blissfully unconscious, the counselors couldn’t know who lurked only feet away from their beds. They were blind to the pearly teeth that beamed inside the stranger’s too big mouth, or his unusually white clothes that shone against the shadowy timber of the cabin. 

Their naivety was intentional, of course. Or rather, _coerced._ The drugs discreetly slipped into their drinks before dinner had ensured the stranger his privacy. He couldn’t risk being discovered by anyone. Sadly, his reputation preceded him. To the children and counselors inhabiting these campgrounds, he was the maddened cult leader. A harbinger of death. Fear. Insanity. 

How cruel was that, when he’d only ever tried to save their poor, wretched souls? Their assessment of his character was truly unfair. But then, the paths of those destined to follow the Great One and his teachings were never said to be easy. There would always be non-believers. Critics. Tainted vessels of sin, who needed to be shown the error of their ways. And if they couldn’t be taught, if His lessons fell on deaf ears….eradication was the only proper course to take. It was Xemug’s holy decree. 

Yet like the cockroaches that wandered the earth, this blasted camp always avoided their fate. They wouldn’t die. Time and time again they’d defied the Great One’s will, shunning his lessons and vision for a better world, where all souls would be cleansed of their negative emotions. And it was all thanks to that damnable brat Max, and simpering, clueless David. If only they’d never interfered….

Sighing to himself, Daniel let his smile fade away as he approached the unconscious counselors. Nothing could be done about it now. Even if he killed them, their souls were blighted, marked for abandonment. Their refusal to repent meant their deaths would serve no purpose. 

It was curious, though. Xemug, ever wise and all knowing, must have foreseen that he’d fail on his quest. So why would the Great One constantly send his most devoted follower on a fool’s errand? Was it to teach him a lesson? Did Xemug seek to test his strength of will, or his loyalty? 

Surely not. Daniel had never once wavered in his devotion to their cause. There must be another reason he was here. Something else that drew him back to this cursed camp. He simply needed to discover what it was. 

Daniel slipped closer to the bed housing his redheaded doppelgänger, scrutinizing his prone body. Even in the throes of sleep, David seemed to invoke the feel of nature. His freckles and perpetually scuffed knees weren’t hidden by his blanket. In fact, they stuck out rather awkwardly, and a lingering scent of soil and pine clung to him like a natural musk. It was nauseating. Daniel may have used the guise of a camp counselor as he spread the Great One’s word, but he certainly didn’t enjoy it. This earthly realm was only a phase, with few mortal pleasures worth savoring. Trees and dirt weren’t one of them. 

Daniel wrinkled his nose, staring down at David with disgust. How easy it would be to murder him, right here, right now. It would be a senseless death, though vindicating. Vengeance typically was. But when Daniel thought of all his foiled schemes, he was tempted. Very tempted. What of it if David’s death wouldn’t benefit Xemug’s cause? How rewarding it would feel! And the agony it would reap upon all the camp would be oh-so satisfying. Max, in particular, would be devastated…..

The soft noise of shifting limbs from behind him, unfortunately, plucked at Daniel’s attention, disturbing his murderous thoughts. He turned to look at the figure in the other bed and cocked his head to the side, frowning slightly. Unlike David, his co-counselor wasn’t dead to the world. She squirmed and muttered in her drugged sleep, her brow notably puckered with displeasure. As if she could sense her predicament. 

Daniel hummed to himself and approached the bed, assessing its occupant. It only took a handful of seconds to see that not only had her dosage of the cocktail not worked as intended, but it had incurred some interesting side effects too. The woman’s flesh was feverish and flushed, and through the blanket he could see her chest heaving, forcing out a string of breaths that sounded increasingly laborious, as if the air in her lungs was being pushed through a strainer. 

“Strange...” Daniel leaned down and thoughtfully traced one finger over her arm, feeling the heat radiating from her skin, the cool sweat glimmering like dewdrops against her dusky complexion. Such a violent reaction to the drugs was…. _unusual,_ though not unheard of amongst Xemug’s circle of followers. In fact, for a very select few, the concoction could sometimes act not as a mental suppressant, but as a method of spiritual awakening. Once ingested, it purged the body of its impurities through fever and bile, opening their mind to the Great One’s teachings. Daniel knew exactly how it felt. He’d experienced it firsthand, back when he’d originally pledged himself body and soul to Xemug’s cause. It was a life-changing experience, gifted only to a special few. 

Which left him wondering. This woman—Gwen, he believed her name was. Why was she experiencing the same symptoms he had? Was her spirit simply too strong for the drugs to overcome? Or was it something else _?_ Something far more meaningful than mere chance...

Daniel cocked his head to the side, frowning slightly. He had so many questions, with too few answers. But the longer he watched the drugged woman lying on the bed, vulnerable and trapped in a feverish haze, the more a new theory started to take shape. What if her reaction to the drugs was meant to be taken as a sign? Perhaps _Gwen_ was the reason Xemug kept returning him to this dreadful camp! The Great One may have decided to claim her as one of his disciples! 

Excitement welling up inside him, Daniel grinned with a mouthful of shiny teeth and gently grasped Gwen’s chin, turning her face towards him. She didn’t wake. Of course she didn’t. But her responsive mewl of discomfort sent ripples of pleasure up his spine, her fluttering pulse a hypnotic thrum against his fingers. Like a mate calling to its other half, she seemed to beckon him in, inviting him to take a closer look. And take a closer look Daniel did. 

Maybe it was the flush of fever dusting her cheeks, or the faint tremble of her lips as she panted softly, but he couldn’t help thinking that she was slightly...pretty. In a way. It was her current vulnerability, he suspected. While Daniel had never paid much attention to Gwen in the past, due to his attention primarily being fixated on David and Max, he’d only ever witnessed Gwen with her guard up, sarcasm and fiery gazes pushing away anyone who got too close. Except for the redhead in question. So Daniel had ignored her. At best, Gwen’s presence within the camp had been a passing thought within his mind. She existed, but never actively stood in his way. Nor did she stand with him. 

Apparently, that was destined to change now. If Daniel was interpreting things correctly, then she was chosen by Xemug. Hand-picked to be his newest follower. Of course, the choice made perfect sense. From what little Daniel knew of her personality, Gwen would make a most devoted follower...well, with some work. That’s what made things interesting, though! Teaching her the Great One’s ways would be a task, a challenge! A chance to prove his worth.

Yes. Yes, he could do this. He’d take his time, approach things slowly. Daniel refused to repeat his previous mistakes. He’d have to be patient, and carefully watch Gwen for a while before approaching her. He had to give himself time to discover her strengths. Her weaknesses. Every excruciating detail. 

In the end, it would all pay off. 

“You’re a lucky girl Gwen. Being chosen by Xemug himself is a magnificent honor!” Daniel chuckled and backed away from the bed, leaving her be. _For now._ Now that he knew his purpose here, it was all a matter of time. He didn’t need senseless revenge against David. He didn’t need to kill Max! Claiming Gwen in the name of the Great One was all that mattered. 

Although….her absence from their lives would surely sting. Perhaps Daniel could relish in that, just a little? Surely that wasn’t a sin? After all, Xemug was a gracious god! He wouldn’t smite his most devoted follower for a few wrathful thoughts. Especially if they involved two worthless degenerates. Daniel chuckled and smiled to himself, picturing David’s horrified expression, the youthful rage of Max. It was delectable. Their sorrow would be even better. 

Savoring the mental image of their torn, tear stricken faces, Daniel let himself slip back into the shadows of the cabin, leaving the two counselors alone in their beds. They were safe from the darkness and its horrors, at least for a little while longer. Daniel would be patient. He’d get his prey, one way or another. 

Until then…

_“Sweet dreams, Gwen…..”_


End file.
